IED blast kills three soldiers in Niger State patrol
A Captain and two of his men have reportedly lost their lives in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion at Maciyan-Kyada village in Babanna ward, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, during a routine patrol mission.
A security source told Daily Trust that two other soldiers sustained severe injuries during the explosion. The source said troops left Babanna town around 10am on a routine patrol in the area when one of the patrol vans stepped on an IED suspected to have been planted on the road by terrorists.
Details of the attack
“The IED explosion involved soldiers. They were on a routine patrol when their patrol van stepped on the IED buried on the road by the terrorists. Three soldiers lost their lives including a captain and two others sustained injuries. The village where the incident happened is under Babanna ward,” the security source said.
A resident of the area, who also confirmed the incident to the publication, gave the name of one of the deceased soldiers as Yusuf Kabir. The resident said the incident had further heightened tension in the area, as locals fear further attacks by terrorist groups operating in the region.
No official statement yet
Military authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident as of the time of filing this report. The attack underscores the ongoing security challenges in Niger State, where terrorist groups frequently use IEDs to target military patrols.
